Desai, Pol or Nikam? Who’ll get Kasab’s death penalty confirmed in high court?

The Home department is considering the names of three noted lawyers to represent the government in the Bombay High Court for confirmation of the death sentence awarded to 26/11 convict Ajmal Amir Kasab.

The Home department is considering the names of three noted lawyers to represent the government in the Bombay High Court for confirmation of the death sentence awarded to 26/11 convict Ajmal Amir Kasab.

Last month, a special court had awarded the death penalty to the Pakistani national for his involvement in the 26/11 terrorist attacks.

Sources in the Home department told Hindustan Times on Monday that the lawyers considered were senior advocate Amit Desai, chief public prosecutor in the high court Pandurang Pol and special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Nikam was the special public prosecutor in 26/11 attack trial.

Sources said the Law and Judiciary department asked the Home department to set up a panel to select a lawyer.

Desai appears to be the front-runner, given his track record in representing the government in several high-profile cases in the high court.

Pol is presently working as the chief public prosecutor in the high court following his appointment a year back.

Finally, Ujjwal Nikam, who has handled many key terrorist and gangland-related cases in the lower courts, is being considered in view of his experience in handling such cases.

Sources said efforts are on to make arrangements for housing Kasab in Yerawada prison in Pune, where he will be shifted, after the high court confirms his death.

One of the Anda cells, where the assassins of General A.S. Vaidya — Sardar Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Sardar Harjinder Singh Jinda of Khalistan Commando Force — had been kept, is being readied to lodge Kasab.